Gongdeok solo dining: pork belly bibimbap takeout at Horangi Gotgan

Where to eat alone in Gongdeok: Horangi Gotgan

Finding a place to eat alone in Gongdeok can be oddly tricky. Some days the light options feel too skimpy, but going all out feels like too much. That's when Gongdeok Korean restaurant Horangi Gotgan comes to mind.

It's good for a clean solo meal, but also works well with a glass of makgeolli or beer on the side, so it's a place I often think of when looking for somewhere to eat alone in Gongdeok.

Ordering takeout at Horangi Gotgan Gongdeok Branch

Today, instead of eating at the restaurant, I got takeout from Horangi Gotgan Gongdeok Branch since I had to make it in time to pick up my kid. Once I laid everything out at home, it turned out to be a surprisingly proper meal. 😊

Today's order was three things: pork belly bibimbap, beef bulgogi bibimbap, and nurungji (crispy scorched rice) sweet and sour pork.

Normally I'd want to eat in the restaurant with a beer or makgeolli on the side, but today I had a fixed pickup time for my kid, so there wasn't room for a leisurely meal. So I decided to get takeout and eat at home.

Takeout food can sometimes fall short of eating fresh at the restaurant, but Horangi Gotgan's dishes weren't much of a letdown at home.

The bibimbap especially, with rice, meat and vegetables all mixed together, made for a hearty meal.

Pork belly bibimbap (mixed rice bowl)

Horangi Gotgan's pork belly bibimbap has a clear flavor direction from the start since it's bibimbap with pork belly in it. Eaten alone the meat could feel greasy, but mixed with the rice, vegetables and seasoning, it worked better than I expected.

The distinct savory flavor of pork belly made it feel much heartier than a plain vegetable bibimbap. If you like bibimbap with meat in it, this one's an easy pick.

Beef bulgogi bibimbap

The beef bulgogi bibimbap has a slightly more familiar flavor than the pork belly version. The sweetly seasoned bulgogi makes it easy to eat once mixed with the rice.

Personally, I find this kind of dish really convenient for solo dining. Ordering just one menu item still lets you get both meat and rice together. It's a good option to think of when you want a hearty solo Korean meal in Gongdeok.

Nurungji sweet and sour pork

And the one I kept reaching for without noticing was Horangi Gotgan's nurungji sweet and sour pork. Unlike regular sweet and sour pork where you just eat the meat, this one comes with crispy scorched rice mixed in, making for an interesting texture.

At first I thought of it as just a side to go with the two bibimbaps, but once I tried it, it had quite a presence of its own.

The combination of crispy scorched rice and sweet and sour sauce works fine as a side dish with rice, and I imagine it would pair well with a beer if eaten at the restaurant. 🍺

The free bone broth soup that came with it

The bone broth soup that came along with the takeout was also great. It wasn't just a token side soup — the flavor was quite rich.

Heated up and eaten alongside the bibimbap, it paired well, and taking a spoonful between bites of rice made the meal go down much more easily. Anyone who likes a rich bone broth will probably like this part too. Even eating takeout at home, having a soup on the table made it feel like a proper Korean meal.

Is Horangi Gotgan good for solo dining and a light drink?

Personally, I think Horangi Gotgan is a Korean restaurant that's good for solo dining. The menu isn't overwhelming and the portions work well for eating alone, so it doesn't feel awkward going in by yourself.

Add a glass of makgeolli or beer and it's also fine for a light drink after work. I chose takeout today because of my kid's pickup time, but next time, when I have more time, I'd like to eat at the restaurant with a drink on the side.

A place worth thinking of on a day you're looking for somewhere to eat alone in Gongdeok, want a clean Korean meal, or want to eat and have a light drink at the same time.

Getting takeout and eating at home, like today, turned out to be pretty good too. 🙂